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Average Customer Rating: 
Spark and Burn (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) >
Customer Review #1:
 Its Spike! Perfect Book for Spike Fans!
As a long-standing Spike fan myself, I can say with confidence that "Spark and Burn" is an awesome book for fellow fans. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", despite its cheesy show title, is one of the greatest shows of all time, and Spike is probably one of the best characters, next to Buffy herself.
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lt;br /gt;"Spark and Burn" takes you on a journey through certain events on "Buffy", especially during season 2 when Spike and Drusilla first crashed through that Welcome to Sunnydale sign. It jumps back and forth from past events (when Spike was first sired by Drusilla, and the years following his birth as a vampire and his subsequent terrorizing of Europe with Drusilla, Darla, and Angelus) that help illustrate how Spike grew to be the vampire he is today, and current events (which for this book current meant season 2, the first season Spike appeared as a character on Buffy). The book is told entirely from Spikes point of view, which is unique in that most of the Buffy novels that contain Spike use him as a peripheral character. Ive always wanted a Buffy novel that was all about Spike, and here it is!
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lt;br /gt;What I loved most, besides Spike, was that the story took you through well-known Buffy episodes (mostly in season 2) and retold them while giving you a whole different perspective on things. It illustrates how Spike first viewed the Slayer, and how his initial animalistic attraction to her (despite the fact that he still intended to kill her), slowly transformed into grudging respect for her skills as a warrior, and eventually grew into a sort of burning need for her (hence the title of the book). Being able to (as a reader) get into Spikes head and really experience the inner workings of this bleached-blonde care bear with fangs is a real trip! Its an incredible journey, and Id love to see more books like this one!
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lt;br /gt;By the time you finish the book, youre left wishing they had gone further with it, because you are so entranced that you dont want it to end! (at least *I* didnt want it to end). Spike fans, and especially Spike/Buffy fans, will truly get a kick out of this book! Those who arent necessarily Spike fans might become one after reading this!
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lt;br /gt;Bottom line, its an awesome book, and I plan to read it several times!
Spark and Burn (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) >
Customer Review #2:
 Deja Spike All Over Again
This book fails for a number of reasons, none of which is the writing. Gallagher puts in an honest effort, and if good writing was all it took to create a great story, Spark and Burn would be a success. Unfortunately, the problem with the book appears right on the front cover, where we are promised an original novel, and it never goes away.
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lt;br /gt;If you watched the series and read the books (or even the comic books) you have a pretty good idea of Spikes history. First a bad poet, and then a really bad vampire. Drusillas lover, and then, by an odd twist Buffys. Villain, tormented soul, and finally, a hero. What Gallagher has done is recap all of this in 240 pages or so, during which you never learn anything very new. Instead we start out in the school basement during Spikes madness after regaining his soul and travel from flashback to even further flashback until this cruel biography is done.
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lt;br /gt;The story, jumping from one frame to another never gels. The truth is, that there really isnt a story here, just an interior monologue and a series of pastiches. Just Simon and Schuster so intent in capitalizing on Spikes draw as a character that they forgot that Spike is interesting because his part in the Buffyverse. Mooning over The Slayer and enduring The Others attempt to destroy his mind really isnt what Spike is about, and the book has all the fire of a collection of postage stamps from a country you dont care about.
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lt;br /gt;The best I can say is avoid this book, which is a flat effort at best, but keep an eye out for Diana Gallaghers books. Somewhere inside of her is a good book trying to get out. Unfortunately, Spark and Burn isnt it.
Spark and Burn (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) >
Customer Review #3:
 just plain bad
I agree with most of the other reviews, this book was horrible. I read the discription on the back of the book and was instantly interested ( being a huge spike fan ) and bought it. but I was very disapointed, the whole thing is just flash backs that come directly from the show and the autor didnt add anything. I would rather just watch the show!!! Plus the flash backs are out of order, leaving you confused. DONT BUY THIS BOOK, YOU WILL REGRET IT.
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